I agree with Ozzie. Sure sounds like something in a wiring bundle is making contact as soon as it goes "hot". I would trace the wires from the ignition switch. Got to be a bare wire touching something.

[QUOTE=silverspurs;267807]Hi guys; I'm resurrecting this thread because I'm going to start working on the bike in the next couple of weeks... to recap:

on a trip to Canada over Labor Day, my main fuse blew one morning about 5min after the bike had been started and was running. we replaced the main fuse and the bike started up again and ran about 10 minutes before the main fuse blew again... all other fuses were ok...

after that, the problem progressed so that the main fuse now blows immediately upon the ignition switch being turned to the ON position... the bike doesn't get a chance to start at all...

we had been riding in some light rain the day before all this started, but experienced no problems while riding in the rain, it was the next morning that things went haywire... the bike has about 20,000 miles on it.

any more suggestions to guide me on my quest are appreciated!!... thanks!![/QUOTE

You mention you were riding in the rain the day before the problem surfaced. Two things come to mind here: The first is, could you have gotten water in somewhere and it's shorting something out? I know, motorcycles are designed to be ridden out in the elements, but sometimes odd things occur we don't think about. Secondly, you may, as a result of vibration, have a wire rubbing against a frame member or some other ground source, that has worn through and is now shorting. I say this because my wife had a problem with her Burgman 650ABS scooter a few years ago. Not the same problem as yours, but a problem, in that it quit shifting and didn't want to start. End result was, on teardown, the tech found that a main wiring bundle was incorrectly routed at the factory so that it was wedged between the fairing and a frame member and eventually shorted out blowing a couple fuses.

Not saying this is your problem, but just a couple suggestions. I rode my '10 Nomad from Lewiston to Grangeville in some very heavy rain once, but never had any electrical problems after that.

I have a 2009 Voyager Almost the same bike. My cruise stopped working ended up being a short, wire looped over a stud on the thermostat housing any ways since the tank was off I decided to check wiring elsewhere and found a wiring harness running from the ignition down the left side of forks (the tank hides this harness) looking very carefully I noticed a wire had rubbed real good and could short out next this wire came directly from the ignition. You may want to check this area it may be your problem

If your back tire lasts more than a season,
then your not riding enough.

long shot, but if it is blowing right away when you turn on the ignition it might be worth taking the tank/sidecovers etc off and switching it on after dark, something that blows a 30 amp fuse could well be visible? cant hurt.

I will give that a try before tearing it down any farther than taking the tank off... your right, nothing to lose...

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Hi guys; I'm resurrecting this thread because I'm going to start working on the bike in the next couple of weeks... to recap:

on a trip to Canada over Labor Day, my main fuse blew one morning about 5min after the bike had been started and was running. we replaced the main fuse and the bike started up again and ran about 10 minutes before the main fuse blew again... all other fuses were ok...

after that, the problem progressed so that the main fuse now blows immediately upon the ignition switch being turned to the ON position... the bike doesn't get a chance to start at all...

we had been riding in some light rain the day before all this started, but experienced no problems while riding in the rain, it was the next morning that things went haywire... the bike has about 20,000 miles on it.

any more suggestions to guide me on my quest are appreciated!!... thanks!![/QUOTE

You mention you were riding in the rain the day before the problem surfaced. Two things come to mind here: The first is, could you have gotten water in somewhere and it's shorting something out? I know, motorcycles are designed to be ridden out in the elements, but sometimes odd things occur we don't think about. Secondly, you may, as a result of vibration, have a wire rubbing against a frame member or some other ground source, that has worn through and is now shorting. I say this because my wife had a problem with her Burgman 650ABS scooter a few years ago. Not the same problem as yours, but a problem, in that it quit shifting and didn't want to start. End result was, on teardown, the tech found that a main wiring bundle was incorrectly routed at the factory so that it was wedged between the fairing and a frame member and eventually shorted out blowing a couple fuses.

Not saying this is your problem, but just a couple suggestions. I rode my '10 Nomad from Lewiston to Grangeville in some very heavy rain once, but never had any electrical problems after that.

both scenarios are definite possibilites... and as I tear it down I'll be looking for both... thanks

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I have a 2009 Voyager Almost the same bike. My cruise stopped working ended up being a short, wire looped over a stud on the thermostat housing any ways since the tank was off I decided to check wiring elsewhere and found a wiring harness running from the ignition down the left side of forks (the tank hides this harness) looking very carefully I noticed a wire had rubbed real good and could short out next this wire came directly from the ignition. You may want to check this area it may be your problem

this sounds like exactly what I'll be looking for... was this worn wire on your bike on the right or left side (sitting on the bike looking forward) of the frame? and do you remember what color it was??

do you guys think if it was a wire from the ignition touching the frame... would it blow the main fuse like that? or more likely to blow one of the smaller fuses first?... (none of the smaller fuses ever blew)

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this sounds like exactly what I'll be looking for... was this worn wire on your bike on the right or left side (sitting on the bike looking forward) of the frame? and do you remember what color it was??

do you guys think if it was a wire from the ignition touching the frame... would it blow the main fuse like that? or more likely to blow one of the smaller fuses first?... (none of the smaller fuses ever blew)

I decided to check wiring elsewhere and found a wiring harness running from the ignition down the left side of forks (the tank hides this harness) looking very carefully I noticed a wire had rubbed real good and could short out this wire came directly from the ignition. You may want to check this area it may be your problemLeft side Once tank is off just look to see if harness is touching any thing then examine for rub marks mine was rubbed "bad"

If your back tire lasts more than a season,
then your not riding enough.

Yes, a bad sort in your ignition wiring will cause the main fuse to blow. There is more than one circuit going through the switch assembly. Such as main power contacts on the very bottom contact section, and then ignition, and other systems on a upper contact point section.

Thats why some people have noticed that after putting on driving lights and connecting to a regular power circuit like the head light low or high beam wire will notice the key being hot/warmer than normal when they take it out.

Bubba in TX

2011 Voyager "Betty Clunker"

A bad day on a motorcycle is better than a good day in a car

Some people collect T-shirts
I actually ride

Voyager 1700 owners...
WRAP your pipes....You will be glad you did...

To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. U.S.A.F. Retired To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. Nye County Nevada
Motor Officer RetiredBlue Knights Texas 43

I decided to check wiring elsewhere and found a wiring harness running from the ignition down the left side of forks (the tank hides this harness) looking very carefully I noticed a wire had rubbed real good and could short out this wire came directly from the ignition. You may want to check this area it may be your problemLeft side Once tank is off just look to see if harness is touching any thing then examine for rub marks mine was rubbed "bad"

I'll be checking this Saturday... thanks again!

Let's all try really hard not to say dumb stuff...To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

I decided to check wiring elsewhere and found a wiring harness running from the ignition down the left side of forks (the tank hides this harness) looking very carefully I noticed a wire had rubbed real good and could short out this wire came directly from the ignition. You may want to check this area it may be your problemLeft side Once tank is off just look to see if harness is touching any thing then examine for rub marks mine was rubbed "bad"

THE DEFECT IN THE WIRING HAS BEEN FOUND AND FIXED!! YAY!!

Thanks dolitsky and 1st One: for your posts... they were right on...

This is exactly what I found... once the tank was off, under good lighting (something I did not have while stranded in Canada) I found the BROWN wire (one of four wires coming out of the ignition housing) was frayed and had exposed wire that was shorting out on the fuel tank... this is the same thing that 1st One and dolitsky found on their 1700s...

in good light, it was very obvious and easy to fix with electrical tape, some heat shrink wrap and a plastic tube covering all four of the wires where they rub on the tank... Problem should be fixed now!! bike starts and runs, will be riding it around this afternoon to be sure all is OK!!

I will be starting another thread about this... EVERY 1700 OWNER NEEDS TO TAKE THEIR FUEL TANK OFF AND UNDER GOOD LIGHT, CHECK THESE WIRES THAT GO INTO THE IGNITION TOWER... ONE INSTANCE COULD BE BAD LUCK... TWO PEOPLE WITH THIS PROBLEM IS THE START OF A TREND... AND NOW THREE PEOPLE HAVE HAD THIS PROBLEM THAT I KNOW OF.... THAT'S A WARRANTY/RECALL ISSUE IN MY BOOK. I'LL SAY IT AGAIN... EVERY 1700 OWNER ALL MODEL YEARS NEED TO CHECK THIS... IT COULD SAVE YOU A TON OF TROUBLE FAR FROM HOME!!... LET US KNOW WHAT YOU FIND!!

My bike had 23000 miles on it when this occured...

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